The Forrest City times., 1887-10-29

markedly plain letters, too" stin none of them had seen him or recognized him in the least. "No such a man as this was ever aoout ths Castle, am sure," said the duke. "l have good memory of faces. have never seen his before," After discussing the portrait for some nVe minutes longer, the duchess, feeling tired, went to her boudoir. Anything obout the robbery agitated her now and made her i'll. Carelessly enough she carried away the envelope and portrait In her hand. She lad them on the table, and forgot all about them. Her thoughts were all with Mrs. Grey. Could 1t be possible that the gentle, refined, beautiful lady whom she loved so much was the wife, sister, friend, or associate ofs thief? Her own senss and reason told her-"No;" appearan- ces said "Yes." She was powerless to do anything to help or suggest any thing, but her whole instinct rose against the case as it stood.
 The duchess laid the envelope and the portrait on the table, then forgot them. She took up book to read, and in short time Jennie Dane come in to receive her orders for the day; what dresses she had to prepare, what toilets to arsange. The day wa. hot, the sun shone fiercely in at the window.
 Give me my fan, Jennie," said the duchess, and the maid went to the ta- ble, but the fringe of the fan was en- tangled in the payers, and they all fell to the ground together.
 Jennie murmured some words of apology, but the duchess neither saw nor heard. She was engrossed just that minute in her book. 4 cry from Jennie startled her, looking up, the duchess saw the girl with face as white as death, gazing with half-fright- ened, halffascinated eyes at the photo- graph she held in her hands.
 What is the matter, Jennie ?" asked her grace.
 "Ohl your grace" cried Jennie, ''this is the photograph of some one 1 know"
 "Some one you knew at ClaveringY" asked the duchess.
 "Yes, your grace" sobbed the girl, "at Ciavering. have never told you. 1 never dare"
 Do you mean absolutely to tell me that you knew this man at Clavering ?" said the duchess, rising in her excite ment.
 "Yes," sobbed Jennie. "Alas your grace, he was my lover and he left me. l have never heard anything of him since he went away"
 "Jennie," said the duchess. solemnly, 'do you know who that man is ?"
 "He is Charles Nesbitt," said Jennie.
 "He is not" said the duchess "he is James Bentley, the thief who stole my diamonds" and Jennie fell on her knees with bitter cry.
 '.lt can not be true, your grace [" she cried.
 Ut is true, indeed; the diamonds. as you know, have all been found, and this morning we have received the photograph Of the thief; that is 1t. I will send for the duke"
 "Fulke," said the duchess, "this Is the most extraordinary thing; Jennie knew this man, James Bentley"
 How was that ?" asked his grace, kindly; now that the jewels were found, he was more disposed to be amiable to all wrong-Goers.
 Jennie blushed, and looked very much embarrassed.
 "l think" said the duchess, kindly, that the person in question paid some att entions to Jennie."
 "He wanted to marry me, your grace" scbbed the pretty maid. "and he went away"
 Little by little the duke drew the whole story from her, and when 1t was ended he looked across at his wife.
 That makes the whole thing c'ear." he said. This Nesbitt or Bentley yfd Ivy nI la this foolish girl was the tool"
 That clears Mrs. Grey" said the duchess.
 "No. Mrs. Grey had part of the spoil" said the duke. Ee turned to the maid. "Tell me-" he said, ''did you ever see Mrs Grey and this man Bentley together"
 "No," replied Jennie: "Mrs. Grey never saw him."
 You can not be too sure of that" you that there was something suspie- ious about this man? Why did you say nothing of all this before: 7"
 "Because." replied Jennie, her eyes filling with tears, "I never thought of associating him with the robbery in any way whatsoever"
 "Yet, you see, he lured you on to meet him, and while you were waiting for him the decd was done.'
 'I feel sure that in some way or other this discovery will clear Mrs. Grey" aid the duchess.
 But the duke replied:
 "I do not. think it will confirm her guilt"
 It remained to be seen which was true.